What do you do as cyber security intern at the NCI Agency?
I am an intern at the NCI Agency's NATO Cyber Security Centre in The Hague. I joined the Cyber Capability Development branch, which develops new products and strategies to secure NATO information. Currently, I am working on a long-term innovation project, which we hope is going to transform the way that data is processed, managed and accessed. Once developed, it will improve secured data sharing across the Alliance.
Why is your work important?
Cyber security is not a destination, it is a constant journey. If we want NATO to become a fully digital enterprise, we need to embrace new technology, keep our expertise up to date and ensure that our business culture changes with the times. As technology and cyber security evolve we, as NATO, should continue to adapt and innovate.
How do you like the internship?
I started my internship in March 2020 and it has already surpassed all of my expectations. I imagined the Agency to be a strict work environment with mostly male and military staff, twice my age. I found the reality to be quite the opposite. I was very surprised by the pleasant, diverse work environment, where everyone is very nice and helpful, regardless of their age, gender or previous experiences. My colleagues have taught me more in a few weeks than any other course I've taken so far.
What did you study before becoming an intern?
After high school, I moved from Bulgaria to the Netherlands to study at Leiden University, where I completed a Crisis and Security Management Master's degree earlier this year. I am still enrolled in a Cyber Security Master's degree at the New Bulgarian University, which I am lucky to be able to study for from a distance.
How has the coronavirus pandemic affected your work?
I can do most of my work remotely on my Agency laptop. Our managers made sure everybody had the proper equipment when we were told to work from home. It was very well organized. My roommates and I all work from home now. We need to make sure we don't overload our network too much, so we schedule our conference calls at different times.
What are the biggest cyber security threats during a pandemic?
One of the biggest threats facing everyone is misinformation. We are witnessing a flood of rumours that cause people to panic. At NATO, with most of the staff working remotely, our concern is to make sure that our networks are properly secured. While protecting cyberspace, however, we still need to make sure that we keep business continuity. The future is quite uncertain at the moment, but maybe this is also a good reality check to see how resilient we are.
What are your career aspirations?
I don't have any long-term plans. I just want to focus on current projects. I enjoy working at the Agency. It is both a challenging and very collaborative environment. I think that is what a young person needs in order to feel confident in their career choices.
This article was originally published in the June 2020 edition of NITECH Magazine. You can read the full magazine here.